SoS: June 24, 2013 - June 30, 2013

Omega 31025 Boar
Lemongrass-Ylang Ylang Melt and Pour Soap (homemade)
Facelather
Merkur Futur
Personna Med Prep (1)
3 passes
Osage Rub
TSD Energy After Shave Lotion

This was my maiden voyage with using a homemade melt and pour soap. It lathered very easily, was very slippery, but could be a bit more cushiony. I might have to play around with the formula to make it a little more protective. I will also have to buy some menthol crystals from The Shave Den Store in the near Futur! Nonetheless, the soap was very good and gave a great shave.

 

Or double-slanting!

 

Glad to hear you're enjoying your shaves again!

For the sake of those who didn't know: what were your issues and how did you resolve them? (Might help someone else who's battling on the same grounds...)

 

Hump Day!

• Prep: hot washing cloth
• Music: John Barry, Dances With Wolves soundtrack
• Brush: Wilkinson Sword badger
• Cream: Godrej Menthol Mist
• Razor: GEM OCMM
• Blade: GEM stainless
• Shave: 3-pass + touch-up
• Post: hot water rinse, cold water rinse, hand strop blade

Really nice BBS shave this morning! I love the GEM. It never dissapoints. Great weight and balance. Sturdy. Great razor. I'm proud to be a L.O.S.E.R. (for those new around here: Lover Of Single Edge Razors)

 

I like it!

 

26.6.2013

• Prep: shower, RazoRock glycerine pre-shave soap
• Razor: Weber DLC
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue (2)
• Brush: WSP Monarch HMW
• Scuttle: "Estremoz" V2 Green
• Cream: Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut
• Post: alum, T.N. Dickinson's Witch hazel
• Aftershave: Honeybee Gardens Bay Rum

DFS in 3.

 

My Second (Partial) Straight Razor Shave:

Pre: Mild scrub with Shea Moisture Facial Scrub, hot towel, lather, hot towel, Anthony Logistics Pre-Shave Oil
Soap: Pyrate Cove Bay Rhum & Lime (I'm really loving this stuff!)
Razor 1: Australian Damascus Hollow
Strop: Whipped Dog's Poor Man Strop
Razor 2: Merkur Futur
Brush: Semogue 2030B (Virtually unknown and highly underrated brush)
Post: Styptic Pencil, Oil of Olay Facial Toner, Shea Moisture A/S Balm; Pure Shea Butter

Stropped my straight, which had me more nervous than shaving with it, knowing that there was a chance I could mess up the edge. I did fine; taking my time and paying attention was the key. Feeling adventurous, I decided to shave more of my face than last time. This time I shaved both cheeks and (mostly) under the chin. Because I wear a goatee, I imagine it was easier than if I was shaving the entire area. I left a fairly wide perimeter to clean up with the Futur, so that I didn't mess up my hairline. I experimented with using both hands, then tried to see if it would be easier to shave the left side with my right hand (it's not). I only went with the grain and did some touch up and had a surprisingly smooth face in the areas that I'd shaved. I went against the grain and a touch up with the Futur and called it a night. GREAT shave, I was very pleased. NO irritation where I shaved with the straight and very little with the Futur. I'm loving this.

 

​

Day 4 of the SE Tour.​

​

Dove Men's Face Wash​

Taylor of Old Bond Street Lavender Shaving Cream​

Frank Shaving Finest Badger Brush​

Gem Micromatic OC Razor​

Gem/Personna SS Blade​

CWR​

Dickinson's Witch Hazel​

Aqua Velva Ice Blue AS​

​

The razor of the day is the Gem Micromatic Open Comb, c. 1930. I put a new blade in it and was reminded again why I am a LOSER (lover of single edge razor). This razor does the job well. I got a really smooth shave with just a couple of weepers on my chin. The OCMM is known to be an aggressive razor, but I like it. The combination of OC and a new blade made weepers more likely, so, I am not surprised. I probably could have avoided them if I had been satisfied with only two passes.​

 

Veli, I know Balea Sensitive. It's exactly what you say it is - not bad, but not great. I don't want it again.

 

I'm on shave #12 with a Polsilver SI. Today was a FS, a step down from DFS. Rather that try my luck at unlucky #13, I think I will retire this one. I probably should put it in a tiny frame for recognition of exemplary service.

Fatboy on 7
SI (12)
Omega 48
Proraso green
Alum, witch hazel
Barber's Choice blue

 

Another night, another hotel. Same weaponry as this morning...

Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Astra SP
Soap: Arko stick
Brush: Ever-Ready resto

Rinse
Alum
Rinse
Nivea Balm

 

Razor: Mergress XL
Blade: Croma
Brush: BG White Beehive w 24mm WhipDog Silvertip
Pre: Musgo Real Lime Oil Soap
Soap: TSD Sara"s Creation Lavender Mint
Post: Osma Alum Block
Aftershave: Alcolado Glacial

 

quote="Med. Cheese, post: 590461, member: 9689"]I'm on shave #12 with a Polsilver SI. Today was a FS, a step down from DFS. Rather that try my luck at unlucky #13, I think I will retire this one. I probably should put it in a tiny frame for recognition of exemplary service.

Fatboy on 7
SI (12)
Omega 48
Proraso green
Alum, witch hazel
Barber's Choice blue[/quote]


I have tried two Polisilver's to date and got 12 then 11 out of them Using a Mergress XL. With the Super Iridium, I had a "special blade" and managed to get 16 shaves out of it but I knew I would have to make four passes if I tried 17. My favorite blade is the Super Iridium and have 400 on hand now and I also have 98 Polisilvers.

 

'All vintage' shave
Torrey from Danny "Dslazar9"
Vie-Long horsehair brush
Vintage Williams mug soap
Cold water splash
Old Spice AS splash
Face lather Williams this time. I LOVE how it performs! Our fathers knew a thing or two about soaps! Very pleasant shave, silky smooth.

 

Gillette NEW Short Comb - UFO Goliath
Permasharp Super
Semogue 2000
Walter's Rose
Alum
Superior 70

Not quite dialed in this morning, but still above average with no irritation.

 

Thursday:

L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash
#6 Horsehair
Super Speed/Shark day 4
Palmolive Cool SC
Anherb AS Conditioner
Alcolado Glacial Menthol Splash
Dolce & Gabbana EDT

Many times I've said that a better name for this Palmolive Cool cream would be Palmolive Frigid because that is how it feels on your skin - it is the identical cream to the version from Italy. The one I used is marketed for the Balkan countries like Romania, Croatia, Serbia, as well as Poland and Hungary. A little Anherb conditioner and a splash of the Penguin, and I'm frozen-stiff. What a great shave this was!

 

6/8 Torrey
Everest SC & Balm
24mm Omega
Brut Splash On

This mornings shave was brought to me by Dale (PanChango). Thank you very much, Dale. This shave kind of turned into a Heinz 57 affair. I started out with a new boar brush and was attempting to destink it using a puck of VdH. Well the knot didn't smell and I had a hand full of lather so I lathered up and did the first pass with VdH, rinsed off my face and lathered with the Everest and did the second pass. Very smooth and close shave. Finished with a little Brut Splash On and a very small dab of Everest balm. Great post shave skin feel. The Torrey took a wicked fine edge and delivered a excellent shave. I enjoyed the Everest, menthol but without the usual eucalyptus or mint scent.

 

Thursday - another day closer.

Prep: Hot shower, Dirigo Blue Cedarwood PSO
Coffee: Maxwell House French Roast, BLACK
CD: Blues Gold, disc 2
Soap: Sara's Creations Vetiver
Brush: 24mm silvertip set in red mallee burl
DE: '72 Black handle SS
Blade: Astra SP, day 4, 3 passes
Post: Cold water rinse, ice water splash, Dickenson's WH, Pinaud Clubman, hand strop blade
'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue

Just another fantastic shave.

 

ThurZday

a. Prep: Hot shower, Lucky Tiger Lemon wash; Homemade PSO
b. Soap: African Black Soap Shave Butter Créme & Liquid Glycerin -mixed & kept warm in mini-scuttle
c. Brush: VDH Boar
d. Razor: 1949 Gillette Fat Handle Tech with a Astra SP blade - Day 2 using this!
e. Shave: 3 passes & touch-up
f. Post: Cold-water rinse, towel dry, Pinaud Clubman af; Nivea Replenishing post-shave Balm

FH Tech delivers another fine shave!

 

Good shave today. I think this Polmolive smells dead on to C&E's Nomad. Anyone else think so? Have a great day.